ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAM

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The diagnosis of various diseases of the brain can sometimes be difficult. Scans and X-rays of the skull, including CAT and MRI scans, can determine any changes in the shape of the brain or pressure, but other tests are used to determine brain function.

An electroencephalogram (EEG), which measures brain waves, can be useful in determining the cause of diseases of the nervous system, as well as to follow the results of treatment. Several small wires are attached to the skull, and while you are at rest or even sleeping, your brain waves are recorded. There is no danger or discomfort from this test.

If a disorder of the nerves arises from the spinal cord, it may be necessary to measure the efficiency with which they are working. In nerve conduction and muscle studies very small needles are inserted in small nerves and muscles under the skin and their impulses are recorded. These tests can help determine whether a symptom such as weakness of a limb is the result of an abnormality of the nerves, rather than from the muscles themselves. There is no danger and minimal discomfort in these tests.

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